Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1988
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 60, NWS Twin Cities, MN
NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 12, 1988, 4:37 AM CDT for Stearns County, Minnesota. It was in force for 68 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Aug 12, 1988, 4:37 AM CDT (09:37 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 12, 1988, 5:45 AM CDT
- In force
- 68 min
- Issued by
- NWS Twin Cities, MN
- Area
- Whole counties
County Stearns County, MN
The radar
The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.
The nearest sounding before it
Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 00:00Z, 9.6 hours before the alert went out and 111 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 2430 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -95 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1333 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 27 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 136 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 300 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 12.6
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KMSP 120937
SVRSTC
MNC145-121045-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAINT CLOUD MN
ISSUED BY MINNEAPOLIS MN
437 AM CDT FRI AUG 12 1988
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 545 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING
COUNTY
IN THE CENTRAL PART OF MINNESOTA
STEARNS
AT 430 AM RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 15 MILES NORTH OF
ELROSA OR 40 MILES NORTHWEST OF ST CLOUD MINNESOTA. THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING EAST..SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
SOME CITIES IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM ARE MELROSE..ALBANY AND
ST. CLOUD.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...
DESTRUCTIVE HAIL..DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. FOR YOUR
PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR
HOME OR BUSINESS. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO DON`T DRIVE
INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. ALSO REMEMBEHR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH
LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.
NAISTATWhat forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Aug 11, 10:42 PM CDT, 5 hours 55 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST CLOUD MN 1035 PM CDT THU AUG 11 1988 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER CENTRAL MINNESOTA... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM CDT... AT 1030 PM CDT A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM MILLE LACS LAKE SOUTHWEST TO NEAR ST. CLOUD AND THEN TO WILLMAR. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 1/2 INCH HAIL...BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN REDUCING VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AND WIND GUST TO 50 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO THE ST. CLOUD AREA BY 11 PM CDT AND ARE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH. NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WEATHER TO REOCCUR IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA. FRASER
Special weather statement, Aug 11, 10:49 PM CDT, 5 hours 48 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN 1048 PM CDT THU AUG 11 1988 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NORTHERN AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA UNTIL 3 AM CDT... AT 1035 PM CDT...A 25 MILE WIDE LINE OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL STRETCHED FROM SOUTHWEST OF DULUTH NEAR MC GRATH TO NORTHWEST OF ST CLOUD AT SWANVILLE TO JUST NORTH OF WILLMAR MINNESOTA AND WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR. ELSEWHERE...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER THE CENTRAL THIRD OF MINNESOTA AND EXTENDED INTO EXTREME NORTHWEST WISCONSIN NORTH OF A LINE FROM WILLMAR TO NORTHEAST OF ST CLOUD AT HILLMAN MINNESOTA TO JUST NORTH OF HAYWARD WISCONSIN. MOVEMENT WAS SOUTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR. DAP
Special weather statement, Aug 11, 11:53 PM CDT, 4 hours 44 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST CLOUD MN 1145 PM CDT THU AUG 11 1988 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVE INTO EAST-CENTRAL MINNESOTA... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM CDT... AT 1145 PM CDT THUNDERSTORMS HAS DECREASED IN INTENSITY AND MOVED SOUTHEAST INTO EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE IN A LINE FROM 50 MILES SOUTH OF DULUTH TO 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE TWIN CITIES. THESE STORMS ARE STILL CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL... STRONG GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AS THEY CONTINUE SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS SINCE 1030 PM CDT. THE WATCH FOR CENTRAL MINNAESOTA WILL BE CONTINUED AS CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WEATHER TO REOCCUR. YOUNG
Special weather statement, Aug 12, 1:37 AM CDT, 3 hours before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST CLOUD MN 130 AM CDT FRI AUG 12 1988 ...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE T0 DEVELOP OVER CENTRAL MINNESOTA... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM CDT... AT 130 AM CDT THUNDERSTORMS HAD DECREASED IN INTENSITY OVER EASTERN MINNESOTA WHILE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO DEVELOP AND MOVE INTO WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED 30 MILES WEST OF ALEXANDRIA. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AS THEY MOVE EAST AT 15 MPH. NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS SINCE 1230 AM CDT. THE WATCH FOR CENTRAL MINNESOTA WILL BE CONTINUED AS CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WEATHER TO REOCCUR. YOUNG
Special weather statement, Aug 12, 1:37 AM CDT, 3 hours before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
130 AM CDT FRI AUG 12 1988
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 374 NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS
OF MINNESOTA...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS REMOVED THE FOLLOWING MINNESOTA
COUNTIES FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 374...
BECKER...HUBBARD...NORTHERN CASS...ITASCA...NORTHERN AITKIN...CARLTON...
SOUTHERN ST. LOUIS.
THE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
WEST CENTRAL.......OTTERTAIL..GRANT..DOUGLAS..
STEVENS..POPE..
CENTRAL............WADENA..SOUTHERN CASS..CROW WING..TODD..MORRISON..
STEARNS..BENTON..
EAST CENTRAL........SOUTHERN AITKIN...
PINE..MILLE LACS..KANABEC..
NAISTATSpecial weather statement, Aug 12, 4:26 AM CDT, 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN 420 AM CDT FRI AUG 12 1988 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL MINNESOTA... AT 420 AM CDT A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH WINDS GUSTS OF 50 TO 60 MPH WAS LOCATED 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ALEXANDRIA IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA. THE THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THE PROJECTED PATH OF THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL BE THROUGH THE CENTRAL MINNESOTA COUNTIES OF... STEARNS...SOUTHERN TODD...AND SOUTHERN MORRISON BY 515 AM CDT THIS FRIDAY MORNING. EXPECT WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 60 MPH WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. CITIES IN THE PATH OF THIS THUNDERSTORM INCLUDE...ALBANY...ELROSA...AND COLD; SPRING...ALL TO THE WEST OF ST. CLOUD. NAISTAT
The office that day
Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 11, 7:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Mille Lacs, Morrison | 60 min |
| Aug 11, 8:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Todd | 60 min |
| Aug 12, 5:29 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Benton, Sherburne | 61 min |
| Aug 12, 5:30 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Benton, Sherburne | 60 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Minnesota, 1988Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1988
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.